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Chris Morris
Christopher Richard Morris (born June 9, 1981) was the best friend of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the perpetrators behind the Columbine High School Massacre. He was formerly the member of a high school clique called the "Trenchcoat Mafia" and he shared a class with Harris and Klebold in the months leading up to the massacre. Life Chris Morris, like Harris and Klebold, got picked on in Columbine High School by other kids, notably the jocks. Showing his own form of hatred for the school, he established a group with other friends of his who have also been targets called the "Trenchcoat Mafia". A photo of the group can be clearly seen in the 1997-98 Columbine yearbook. They were given the name because of Morris' liking of wearing a black trenchcoat to school. Eric and Dylan would soon copy him in the 10th grade. Around Christmas 1998, Morris said Harris seemed to become even more depressed. About two months before the shooting, he "drifted away" from Harris - largely because Morris now had a girlfriend. Morris also worked at Blackjack Pizza with both boys and convicted student Philip Duran. Over the years as Eric's anger rose, Morris started to feel concerned, noting his aspirations of making pipe bombs together with Dylan Klebold. He even quoted how they were going to blow up a fence and foil people who continually broke through the fence behind the restaurant. Morris said he found that "a little extreme for people crawling through the fence." In the months leading up to the massacre, Eric shared his plans of taking over the school to Morris; he also invited Morris to participate in it along with Dylan. Initially, Morris turned down his offer, thinking he was kidding. But worse was to come for the 17 year old Columbine student. Columbine High School Massacre On April 20, 1999, Morris was expecting a ride from Eric Harris to pick him up at 5:50am. He never showed. Instead, he drove to bowling class in his red 1985 Dodge Lancer, which was prone to overheating. After class, he left the bowling alley and stopped at McDonald's, then headed toward school. He attended his second-period science class and then a government/economics class. But around 10:15am, when he should have been heading to Acting, Morris decided to skip because he "had not attended for several days/weeks, as he knew he was going to fail the class anyway." He stopped at a nearby Cub Foods, bought a Mountain Dew and headed to friend Cory Friesen's house, where the two boys were playing computer games when Cory's mom called to tell them about the Columbine rampage. "As the facts of the shooting began coming over the television, Morris began to suspect that Harris, Klebold and possible others were involved," said an FBI report. In an interview, Morris said as soon as he thought who could be involved, he hurried down to Columbine High School in an attempt to talk some sense the boys. However, by the time he got there, police already surrounded the school and he would've been forbidden entry anyway. In addition, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold committed suicide, giving him no chance to try to calm them down. Aftermath Upon arrival, Morris was arrested by a police officer for suspicion he may be involved in the massacre. He was taken into questioning at the police station, where he would be released several hours later. After the massacre ended, having taken Morris into custody, police soon searched his bedroom for items that may link to the ones used in the massacre. He was found not guilty of any involvement. In an FBI office in Denver, Morris phoned Philip Duran and talked with him about what happened that day. The conversation is as follows: "I'm still trying to figure out why they did it. You have any idea?" Morris asks. Duran responds: "I have no clue, dude." Morris says he "never noticed anything." Duran says he never saw it coming. Morris adds, "You know it just pisses me off that they go and do something like this." Morris is a persistent interviewer, three times maneuvering the conversation back to how Harris and Klebold got their guns. "Did they get those like when Eric turned 18 — did they go out and buy those, the shotguns?" he asks. Duran responds: "I have no clue, dude." Morris: "Did they steal 'em, ah man. Because they keep askin' me all this, and I'm like, I have no idea, you know. Tryin' to find these things out." Duran: "I have no clue, dude." Category:Students Category:Males Category:1981 births